Mattis appoints new DARPA chief and other senior officials

By Tony Bertuca / November 8, 2017 at 2:56 PM

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis appointed several new Pentagon senior executive service officials Wednesday, including a new director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, according to a Defense Department announcement.

Steven Walker has been named DARPA director after serving five years as deputy director. He has been acting director since January 2017.

Veronica Blount Daigle has been named deputy assistant secretary of defense for readiness. She most recently served as the senior adviser for national security in the Office of Management and Budget and was previously director of the force and infrastructure analysis division in the cost assessment and program evaluation office.

Ryan Fisher has been picked to be principal deputy assistant Army secretary for civil works. He most recently served as the chief of the Planning & Environmental Branch in the Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Justin Johnson has been named special assistant to the deputy defense secretary. Johnson, previously a member of President Trump's transition team, was most recently special assistant to the DOD comptroller.

Charlie Summers has been named principal deputy assistant to the defense secretary for public affairs. Summers was most recently executive director at Veterans Count and previously served as director of public affairs for the Navy Reserve.

Jeffrey White has been selected to be principal deputy assistant Army secretary for acquisition, logistics, and technology. He most recently served as vice president of business development; vice president of federal energy, infrastructure, and healthcare; and vice president of Army programs for Siemens Government Technologies.

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